Fire at former Spray Cotton Mill in Eden prompts multi-agency response
26 January 2023
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Chris Latta was there as soon as he got the news.
“My wife and I were at the scene. Several of my leaders and team members were there. It was traumatic,” said Latta.
Monday evening, fire crews were called to a home on Castlebrook Drive in Raleigh. A fire damaged the home.
George Rizk and his wife Diana Rizk lived there. They died hours apart, because of the fire.
A neighbor told CBS 17 the couple lived here for about 20 years — almost as long as Latta has known two of their sons, Christian and Salib.
“With Christian I’m close with him, but I’m really close to Salib. He’s one of my top leaders. I spent a lot of one-on-one time with him,” Latta explained.
Latta is the owner and operator of the Chick-fil-A’s in Capital Crossing and Falls Village. Salib is an operations director while Christian is a nighttime assistant director at the restaurant.
“We knew immediately that these young men needed help. We wanted to start helping as soon as we could,” stated Latta.
Latta said before he left the scene, he helped start a GoFundMe for the brothers. In 48 hours it raised more than $25,000.
It’s just one example of the power of the community coming together during tragic circumstances.
In the wake of October’s mass shooting in Raleigh, between the GoFundMe’s for the family of officer Gabriel Torres, who was killed and Lynn Gardner, who was seriously hurt, more than $200,000 has been raised.
More than $103,000 has been raised in honor of 11-year-old Hailey Brooks, who was hit and killed by a truck during Raleigh’s Christmas parade.
Latta hopes the money raised continues to let Christian and Salib Rizk know people care.
“Those boys know that I love them. I’ve told them that many times over the last 48 hours,” said Latta
Latta said the Rizk brothers lived with their parents and right now they are working to figure out the next steps.
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